The objective of this study is to test the effectiveness of two management regimens for recent onset back pain in reducing chronicity as measured by medication consumption, activity level and functional impairment, incidence of back surgery and health care utilization rates and costs. An additional objective is to measure those treatment outcomes against a set of predictor variables to search for predictors of chronicity. Recent onset back pain (strain and sprain) patients coming to any of two Family Medicine, two Orthopaedic, and one Sports Medicine clinics, will be randomly assigned to a "conventional" and a "behavioral" treatment regimen for up to eight weeks of treatment and observation. They will be re-examined at eight weeks, six months, and one year to assess the outcome variables listed above. Predictor variable assessment will derive from data obtained at time of entry. The "conventional" regimen provides for prn medications, and prescription of rest and exercise on an "as needed" and "as tolerated" basis. The "behavioral" regimen provides time contingent, time limited medication regimens, time limited rest, with specified exercise regimens (type, amount, increment rate), spouse instruction, and a homework follow through procedure to optimize compliance.